The University School found out what it’s like Friday night if you let momentum get on the side of the home crowd at Manatee High. The Hurricanes got their running game rolling and the cowbells were clanging as Manatee stormed back to stun previously unbeaten University in a non-conference, cross-state battle of unbeatens.

University (8-1) was rolling right along with an early 21-0 lead, but Manatee (9-0) kept punching away at the Suns’ defense with an unrelenting rushing attack and eventually chipped away at the lead to pull within 24-20 early in the fourth quarter. With the momentum already swinging in the direction of the Hurricanes, University’s Jordan Scarlett fumbled and Manatee’s Travon Rumph recovered at the Suns 46.

It took 11 plays to go the distance, but Josh Meyer’s 1-yard pass to Kelvin McKnight gave Manatee its fourth straight touchdown and first lead of the game and it was enough to hold off the Suns, which entered the game with the state’s longest winning streak at 19 straight.

“We were moving the ball a little bit and Jordan made some nice runs, but that turnover hurt us a little bit and that’s something that happens,” University coach Roger Harriott said.

University’s air attack with Sean White at the helm gave the Suns the early cushion. White connected with Scarlett on the first play of the game for a screen pass that ended up going 91 yards and the USchool made it look easy. A Manatee fumble on its first series was recovered by the Suns’ Brandon Russell and shortly afterward University was back in the end zone on a Lajuan Hunt 3-yard plunge.

White had a stellar night, as usual, through the air with 389 yards and two touchdowns on 19-of-33 passing, but it was the second-half performance by Manatee QB Meyer and running back Trevon Walters that spelled the difference. Both players rushed for over 100 yards and University could not stop the Hurricanes’ ground game.

“We knew they were going to have a strong front and some of our guys are undersized and they fight hard ... we’re proud of their effort,” Harriott said. “You gotta give some credit to Coach [Joe] Kinnan and his Manatee Hurricanes. They’re definitely a force to reckon with.”

Meyer was especially instrumental in the rushing attack, running the option to perfection on many occasions, tucking the ball up field at the right moments as well as getting big yardage on draw plays and designed runs. Manatee went into a hurry-up offense in the second half and it seemed to throw off the Suns defense.

Georgia Tech commit tackle Jake Stickler powered the impressive offensive line that sprung Meyer for 121 yards on 22 carries, while Walters, who is committed to Missouri, had 131 yards on 29 carries. Manatee finished with 289 yards on the ground.

“We hung in there and we went up-tempo in the second half,” Kinnan said. “We said, 'We gotta go back to our NASCAR package,’ and we felt our strength and conditioning program would carry us through. We just felt we had to speed up the game. That’s what we do.”

Manatee held the vaunted Suns offense to just a field goal in the second half.

“We’re down by three scores and we hung in there,” Kinnan said. “They’re good. They’ve got what, seven kids already committed Division 1? The quarterback was lights out the first half.”

But Manatee has its share of D-1 prospects, and led by Florida State commit defensive tackle Demarcus Christmas, the ramped up Hurricanes defense sacked White four times, three in the second half. Line mates Raland Brewer, Diontay Dozier and linebacker Nashon Smith also got in on the sack party as White, an Auburn commit, saw pressure that he’s not used to avoiding.

White was still able to do his usual damage through the air, and sophomore sensation Sam Bruce (8 catches, 121 yards) and senior Chris Taylor (5-75) were the biggest recipients in the passing game.

Despite the loss, it was exactly what Harriott was looking to get for his team heading into the playoffs. The Class 3A defending champs are now in Class 4A.

“This gives our guys an opportunity to pay attention to the little things,” Harriott said. “We’ll take a little piece of this humble pie and as a result they’ll become a little hungrier and play with a chip on their shoulder and ... play at a little higher level.”